Book sewing machine



Jufiy 23, 1935. P. A. FRAZIER 2,009,172

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1931 7 SheetsSheet 1 zmwm Jufiy 23, 3935. P. A. FRAZIER BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 1935- P. A. FRAZIER 2,009,172

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 .771 few for:

Juiy 23, 1935.

P. A. FRAZIER BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 23, 1935. P. A, FRAZIER BOOK SEWING MACHINE FiledYOCt. 12, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 23, 1935.

P. A. FRAZIER BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 PM hm lqlillliiulllilmllmnl i July 23, 1935. R A ZER 2,009,172

BOOK SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1931' 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 j Z Z0 7 Z911.

min 1 Z1 o o o Hm 79' J17 Patented July 23, 1935 UNITEDSTATES BOOK SEWING MACHINE Philip A. Frazier, Chicago, Ill.,- assignor tolti R.

Donnelley & Sons Company, Chicago," 111., a v

corporation of Illinois Application October 12, 1931 Serial N n-58,433

so Claims. (01. 112-21) My invention relates to machines for sewing together the signatures from which books are to be made, and more especially for use in connection with the manufacture of so-called rounded n j(convexed back books.

One of my objects is to provide for the manufacture of books of the type above referred to and to produce a book which will remain at all timesv in rounded back condition; and other objects/as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1' is a. plan view, with certain parts broken away, of a machine embodying my invention. Y Figure 2 is a view in sectional elevation of the machine of Fig. 1, the section being taken at the line '22 on Fig. I and viewed in the direction of the arrows. v

Figure 3 is a similar view of the machine, the section being taken at the irregular line 33 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 an enlarged sectional viewtaken at the line 4- 1 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. v

- Figure 5 is an enlarged se tional view taken at'the line 55 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, certain of the parts being partly broken away. g

Figure 6 is a View in elevation of a detail of l the portion of mechanism for jogging the signatures which are toform the book.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view, taken at the line 'l'! on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, of roller mechanism for forming the stack of signatures into roundedback condition. e

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail View of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 7. U Figure 9 is a. section taken at the line 9-9 on Fig. 8 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 10 is a plan sectionalview of mechanism for intermittently actuating the conveyor by which the groups of signatures are fed to, and away from, the sewing mechanism.

Figure 11 is a section taken at the line I I-I I I of Fig. 10 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12 is a plan view of one of theelements of the conveyor driving mechanism, the dotted lines together with the full lines representing the element by a developedview; and

. Figure 13, an end view of the element of'Fig.

7 Referring to the particular illustrated construction, it comprises a frame represented genorally at I4 and formed of" a'bed'portion I5 which, at one end of the machine (the right-hand end'i'n Fig. 3') forms a. support for the books to be sewedand'comprising agroup of signatures,

the books being, represented at 'I 6, and stacked in a vertical pile betweenlupr'ights I1 rising from the bed .I5,. with the edges of the books to be stitched extending. lengthwise of .the bed and constituting the right-hand ends-of the books in Fig. 4', the uprig'hts having-inwardly extending flanges I8 space'd atj their' lower edges from the bed I5 a. distanceslightly greater-than the thick-,

nessof the booksthereby providing a slot through which the lowermost books- I6 may be fed in succession ,when "engaged by feed mechanism as hereinafterv described. I

Located. infront ofthestack of books is mechanism, represented generally at l9, by which the books, in unboundcondition,.and fed thereto in succession are caused to-as su'me rounded back c'onditiori'as represented of the book shown Fig. 5, the books in' this operation-being bodily movedto the right inFig, '7 and againstthe concave face of as-bar ,2] extending lengthwise along the bed of the machine, the concave face 20 being of the curvaturedesiredof the back of the finished book.

The books thus operated on by the mechanism I9 and discharged therefrom as hereinafter described, are thenyfed intermittently to the left in Fig. 3.by conveyor mechanism represented generally at22- intoa position to be operated on by jogging mechanismlrepresented generally at -23 which serves to insure the desired curvature to the backof thebook during the operation of sew- 0 ing .which is performed by resented-generally'at 2 4. 7 Referring to the mechanism I9 for-rounding the-backs of thebooks, it'cornprises a roller 25 journaled'on the frame of the machine to extend lengthwise thereofand beneath the books as they are, delivered from the stack thereof at the righthandend of Fig. 3, and a second roller 26 also extending Llengthwise of the machine directly above the roller 25'and between which roller and the roller 25 the books in succession are introduced The roller 26 is journaled in the outer endsfof levers 2"! pivoted at 28-on brackets 29rising from the bed I5 of the machine, one of these levers being pivotally connected at 30 with the upper, end ,of a link 3I the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 32 with a rock lever 33 fulcruined at34 on an upright 35 rising from the bottom portion of the frame I 4. A coil spring 36 connected with one end of the lever 33 and. with the mechanism repthe frame of the machine yieldingly forces the roller 26 into engagement with the book therebelow and the latter against the roller 25, and a cam 31 operated, as hereinafter described, and bearing against a roller 38' on the opposite end of the lever 33 serves to intermittently rock the lever 21 upwardly to lift the roller 26 out of the path of movement of the books during the operation of inserting the latter between the rollers 25 and 26.

The rollers 25 and 26 are connected with theends of chains 31 and 38, respectively, which are partially wound thereon at the grooved portions thereof represented at 39 and 40 (Fig. 8), the chain 31 passing beneath an idler roller 4| journaled on a fixed part of the frame l4 and thence over an idler roller 42 on a bracket 43 on the frame M, the end of the chain 31 opposite that at which it connects with the roller 25 being connected with a lever 44 fulcrumed at one end, as represented at 45 on an upright 46 rising from the base of the frame I4. The other chain 38 passes over an idler pulley 41 journaled on the arm 21 and thence over an idler pulley 48 'journaled on the pivot 28, the end of this chain opposite that at which it connects with the roller 26, being connected with the lever 44. The rollers 25 and 26 are rotated in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 7 and 8, by drawing on the chains 31 and 38, this being eifectedby rocking the lever 44 downwardly by the rotation of a cam 49, operated, as hereinafter described, against a roller 50' journaled at 5|!" on the outer end of the lever44. The spring 36 operates to cause the rollers 25 and 26 to press firmly against the books from opposite sides thereof during the rotation of these rollers as described with the result of causing the signatures to be shifted to the right in Fig. 7 into a condition in which the right-hand, or back, edge of the book in this figure assumes convex form and becomes positioned against the con cave face of the bar 2|.

The mechanism for feeding the books in succession from the bottom of the stack'at the righthand end of the machine in Fig. 3, into a posi-I tion to be acted on by the rollers 25 and 26 and from these rollers to the conveyor mechanism 22, comprises a horizontally slidable frame 5| shown as formed of three parallel bars 52, 53 and 54 connected at their outer ends with a cross bar 55 and slidable at their inner ends in grooves 56, 51 and 58 in the bed l5 and extending longitu dinally of the machine. The bars 52 and 53 underlie the stack of books at the right-hand end of Figs. 1 and 3 and are each provided with a feeder dog 59 located in a slot 68 therein and pivotally supported as represented at 6|. The feeder dogs 59 are normally maintained in the position shown of the one in Fig. 3 by a coil spring 62 in which position portions of the dogs extend above the bed l5 and into a position to engage the righthand end of the book in Fig. 3, thedogs 59 being held against rotation in clockwise direction in Fig. 3 from the position therein shown by abutting at shoulders thereon against the bar carrying them, but being free to rock, against the action of the springs 62, in the opposite direction. The bar 53 and the bar 54 at portions thereof between the vertical stack of books and the mechanism l9 are provided with dogs 63 and 64 located in slots in these bars and of the same construction as the dogs 59, the bars 53 and being .so positioned that they extend beneath the books following the operation of the mechanism l9 to round the backs thereof as above described.

It will thus be understood that in the movement of the frame 5| to the left in Fig. 1 the lowermostbook of the vertical stack thereof will be moved, by the dogs 59, into a position in which it extends between the rollers 25 and 26, as shown of the book so disposed in Fig. l, and that the dogs 63 and 64 (the book between the rollers 25 and 26having been shifted by the mechanism |9 to the right in Fig. 7 to engage the bar 2|) will feed this book from between the rollers 25 and 26 to the conveyor 22 in the feeding to the mechanism |9 of another book from the vertical stack thereof referred to. In other words, in each movement of the feeder mechanism 5| to the left the book manipulated into rounded back condition by the mechanism I9 is fed out of this mechanism and another book to be operated on is fed from the stack thereof into this mechanism.

The means shown for reciprocating the feeder mechanism 5| comprises links 65 and 66 pivoted at their lower ends to the base of the frame l4, as indicated at 61 and 68, their upper ends being pivotally connected at 69 and 19 with links 1| and 12, respectively, pivoted to the ends of the cross bars 5|. The link 66 contains a longitudinally extending groove 13 into which a crank pin 14 on a disk 15 extends, and by which arrangement, the lever 66, and therefore the feed frame 5| is reciprocated when the disk 15 is rotated'.

The mechanism for actuating the disk 15 comprises a bevel gear 16 secured to a shaft on which the disk 15 is mounted this gear meshing with a bevel gear 11 fixed on a shaft 18 extending lengthwise of the machine and journaled there on," this shaft being driven from a shaft 19 through gear reduction mechanism 80, the shaft 19 being provided with a bevel pinion 8| meshing with a bevel pinion 82 on the drive shaft 83 of the machine, the shaft 83 being shown as driven from any suitable prime mover as through the medium of a belt 84.

The mechanism for raising theroller 26 to permit of the feeding of a book between this roller and the roller 25 comprises the cam 31' which is mounted on the shaft 18 and is so positioned that during the operation of the feeder mechanism 5| for feeding the books to and away from the rollers 25 and 26 as above described, the roller 26 will be lifted out of obstructing position.

The mechanism for rotating the rollers 25 and 26, by depressing the lever 44 comprises the cam 49 also mounted on the shaft 18 and so angularly positioned thereon that the rollers will be rotated as stated during the cycle when the feed mechanism 5| is at rest and while the book is gripped between the rollers 25 and 26.

Referring now to the jogging mechanism 23, it comprises a slide 85 formed of bars 85 guidingly mounted in parallel slots in the bed of the machine to reciprocate crosswise of the machine, the bars 85* being connected with a bar 86 slidable on the bed and presenting a convex face 81 which opposes the concave face 28 of the bar 2| and which is caused to engage the edge of the book opposite the back edge of the latter and by pressing the back edge of the book against .the bar 2| insure the round-back condition of the book at the time of, sewing.

The mechanism for reciprocating the slide 85 comprises arms 88 rigid on a shaft 89 rotatably mounted in the frame M of the machine, the upper ends of these arm being flexibly connected at 90 with lugs 9| depending from the bars 85.

The-shaft 89 is provided with a depending arm 92 the lower end of which is pivotallyconnected at 93 with one end of a link 94, thebpposite end of which is pivotally connected at 95 with the lower end of a lever 96 fulcrumed at its upperend, 'as represented at 91, on the frame I l. The lever 96 is provided between its ends with a roller 98 journaled thereon which engages the periphery ofa cam 99 fixed on the shaft I9. A coil spring I99 connected with one of the arms 88 and the frame of the machine operates, in conjunction with the cam 99, to cause the slide 85 to be reciprocated in the rotation of the cam 99 forthe purpose above stated.

' Referring'now to the sewing" mechanism indicatedat 24 that shown being of the chain stitch sewing type and, except as to the features hereinafter described of the same construction as the commonly known wax thread type of sewing machine, it comprises generally stated,a depending reciprocable boring toolwhich, by way of example and as shown, may be anawl, arranged in vertical alinement with an upwardly extending reciprocable hook needle, the awl in descending, operating to penetrate the book and the needle operating through the hole made by the awl and by hooking over the thread at the upper side of the workinfthe lowering of .the needle, drawing the thread in looped condition downwardly through the opening, the needle and awl operating in timed relation to perform the operation stated.

In machines of the wax thread type as commonly provided the needle is caused to operate not only as stated but-also back and forth in the line of feed of the work while extending into the opening produced by the awl, to effect the feed 'of the work, but as the above referred to back and forth operation of the needle is not desirable in book sewing I dispense with the mechanism producing such movement of the needle,

whereby the needle remains at all times in vertical alinement with theawl, and feed the work by the conveyor mechanism 22 above referred'to and hereinafter described, the mechanism 22 being so constructed that it performs the feeding operations in alternation with the reoiprocations of the awl and-needle. r

Furthermore, while I retain the mechanism which operates to reciprocate the awl this mechanism in the particular construction shown is supplemented by mechanism whereby the awl, while engaging the books, is caused to rotate therein to thereby reduce the amount of power require to drive the awl through the books.

In the machine shown the sewing machine proper is representedat IIII, the reciprocating and rotating awl at I92, and the needle at I03. As the mechanism for reciprocating-the awl and needle in properly timed'relation toeffect the bore and stitch formingoperation is well known, description thereof appears to be'unnecessary, it being sufficient to state that these parts are operated by the main drive shaft I94 of the sewing machine shown as drivenby a sprocket chain I05, from the drive shaft "83, it being understood that during a portion of the cycle of operation of the sewing machine the awl I92 is raised above, and the needle I93 is lowered below, the upper surface of the bed I5 along which the books to be sewed are advanced beneath, and in engagement with, a vertically reciprocable presser foot I06 as shown in Fig. 5. The presserfoot I96, in accordance with machines of the common form above referred to,,is reciprocated in timed relation t the needle and awl, to engage the books during the operation of the needle and awl and he -raised to permit of the feeding of the books when both the needle and awl are in withdrawn position.

' The awl I M'isreciprocated and rotated in any I suitable way as for example as disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,788,968, granted January 13, 1931, to Raymond E. Ackley,-it being suflicient to say that the device in the particular construction shown for'rotating the awl is an electric motor represented at IIJI having drive connection with the rotatable awl as through the medium of the belt I08.

' The conveyor mechanism 22 by which the books, after discharge from the mechanism 19, are intermittently advanced into and through the sewing machine IIII and which operates in alternation with the sewing machine, whereby the books are at rest when operated on by the latter comprises an endless chain I09 extending lengthwise of the machine and engaging sprockets H0 and III journaled on the frame I4, the upper reach of the chain I09 extending into a" longitudinal slot II 2 in the bed of the machine, and'the chain I99 beingprovided at intervals therealong with lugs I I3 adapted to extend upwardly through the. slot H2 and engage with the ends of the books to feed them along the machine;

The chain IE9 is driven by power applied to a shaft I14 to which the sprocket III is connected, the desired intermittent actuation of the conveyor chain I99 being effected by the mechanism shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 and comprising a worm wheel II5 on the shaft I9 and located in a housing IIG carried by the frame of the machine, the worm H5 being of the construction shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, namely, in the form of a mutilated worm comprising a rib II'I extending peripherally about the shaft II4 with its ends, represented at H8 and H9, deflected in opposite directions and spaced apart as representedat I20 to form a sectional spiral groove. The mutilated worm H5 meshes with a gear I rigidly sec'uredto the shaft I I4,,the construction of this drive mechanism being such that for each rotation of theshaft 19 the gear I 2I' and shaft II4 are rotated a distance equal tothe distance between adjacent teeth of this gear, the shaft H4 being thus moved throughout a portion only of a complete rotation of the shaft 19, thereby producing an intermittent movement of the con veyo-r I4. l

The cam 99 for operating the jogging mechanism 23 is'so angularly disposed on the shaft I9 that the jogging operation is effected during the periods thatthe needle and awl are withdrawn from the signatures.

As will be understood from the foregoing description, the books to be sewed are presented to the sewing machine in rounded-back-condition in which condition the stitching is made, the signatures thus being securedly held against relative slipping and preventing the book from becoming sway-backed. 1 1 While I have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying my invention, I do not wishto be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of myinvention; thus by way of example, while I have shownroller mechanism I9 and. jogging mechanism 23 for effecting the delivery of the signatures to the sewing machine in the desired rounded-back condition, the invention is not limited to a machine in which both of these mechanisms are employed, as in some cases it may suffice to employ only one of such kinds of mechanisms.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means operating on the signatures to cause them to extend inroundedback-forming condition, and means for feeding the signatures in said condition. to said firstnamed means.

2. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, and means operating in alternation with the actuations of said firstnamed means for causing the signatures to extend in rounded-back-forming conditions, during the sewing operation.

3. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means'for sewing together signatures to form a book, and jogging mechanism operating in alternation with the actuations of said first-named means for causing the signatures to "extend in rounded-back-forming condition during the sewing operation.

4. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means operating in alternation with the-actuations of said first-named means for causing the signatures to extend in rounded-'back-forming condition, during the sewing operation, and means for feeding the signatures to said first and second named-means.

5. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to. form a book, a member having a concave surface, and means operating in alternation with the actuations of said first-named means for projecting the signatures edgewise at theback of the book against said concave surface.

6. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, a member having a concave surface, means operating in alternation with the actuations of said first-named means for projecting the signatures edgewise at the back of the book against'said concave surface, and means for feeding the signatures to-said first-named means and operating in alternation with the latter.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition, means for sewing together the signatures in said condition to form a book, and means operating in alternation with said second-named means for feeding the signatures to said last-referred-to means.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition, jogging means to which said signatures, after being operated on by said first-named means, are delivered, said jogging means operating to insure rounded-back-condition of said signatures, and means for sewing together the signatures in said condition to form a book.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition comprising rollers relatively movable toward and away from each other and between which the signatures are introduced,

means controlling the spreading of saidrollers, means for feeding signatures between said rollers, said second and third named means being so timed in their operation that said rollers are spread during the feeding of signatures thereto by said last-named means and thereafter become closer together for engaging opposite sides of the signatures, and means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating I on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition, and means for feeding signatures into a position between said rollers and thereafter beyond said rollers comprising a reciprocatory member having signature-feeding elements thereon disposed in different positions along said member and operating, respectively, to feed the signatures to and away from said roller means.

11. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition comprising rollers disposed lengthwise of the machine and between which the signatures are introduced, and means for feeding signatures to said rollers and thereafter ,beyond said rollers comprising a reciprocatory member having signatu're-feeding-elements thereon disposed in different positions along said member and operating, respectively, to feed the signatures to and away from said roller means. i v

12. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition comprising rollers disposed lengthwise of the machine and between which the signatures are introduced and by which the signatures are shifted crosswise of the machine, a member having a concave surface against which the signatures are projected by said rollers, and means for feeding signatures to said rollers and thereafter beyond said rollers comprising a reciprocatory member having signature-feeding elements thereon disposed in different positions along said member and operating, respectively, to feed. the signatures to and away from said roller means. K

13. In a machine of the character set forth,

the combination of means for sewing together signaturesto form a book, means for operating on the signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-back-forming condition, reciprocatory means for feeding signatures, in succession, to said second-named means and into a position beyond said second-named means, and intermittently operating means for feeding the signatures to said first-named means.

14; In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means for operating on the signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-back-forming condition, intermittently operating means for feeding the signatures to said first and second named means, and means for feeding the signatures in succession to said third nazmed means.

15. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a, book, means for operating on the signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-back-forming condition, jogging means adjacent said first named means for insuring the rounded-back-condition of the signatures when operated on by said first-named means, reciprocatory means for feeding the signatures, in succession, to said second named means and beyond the latter, and intermittently operating signatures in a shape in which the front edge of the assembly is concave and its back edge convex and means for stitching in straight lines from one side to the other of the assembly while in said concavo-convex shape.

17. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, and curved guide means adapted to receive and guide the signatures in rounded-back-forming condition while they are being sewed.

18. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, curved guide means adapted to receive and guide the signatures in rounded-back-forming condition while they are being sewed, and means for feeding the signatures through said guides and to said first named means.

19. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means for feeding the signatures to said first-named means and means whereby the signatures while being sewed are in a shape in which their front edges are concave and their back edges convex.

20. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means for causing the signatures to assume a rounded-back condition, means for feeding the signatures to said firstnamed means and means whereby the signatures are in rounded-back-forming condition while being sewed.

21. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of means for causing signatures to extend in rounded-back-forming condition, means for sewing together the signatures in said condition to form a book and means operating to feed the signatures to said first-named means and thereafter to said second-named means.

22. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-backforming condition, and means for feeding the signatures to be operated on lengthwise of the rollers into position between the latter and thereafter beyond said rollers.

23. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-backforming condition, said rollers being relatively movable bodily toward and away from each other, means for producing said relative bodily movement of said rollers and means operating in alternation with said second-named means for feeding the signatures to said first-named means.

24. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-backforming condition, said rollers being relatively movable bodily toward and awayfrom each other,

means for producing said relative bodily movement of said rollers and means operating in alternation with said second-named means for feeding the signatures to be operated on lengthwise of the rollers into position between the latter.

25. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-backforming condition, means'for sewing together the signatures in said condition to form a book, feed means for the signatures operative to feed the signatures to said roller means lengthwise of the latter, and means for intermittently feeding the signatures in rounded-back-forming condition through said sewing means.

26. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, roller means operating on natures tocause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition, and means for feeding signatures lengthwise of said roller means into a position between said rollers and thereafter beyond said rollers comprising a reciprocatory member having signature-feeding elements thereon disposed in different positions along said member and operating, respectively, to feed the signatures to and away from said roller means.

28. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of roller means for operating on signatures to cause them to extend in rounded-backforming condition comprising rollers disposed lengthwise of the machine and between which the signaturesare introduced and by which the signatures are shifted crosswise of the machine, a member having a concave surface against which the signatures are projected by said rollers, and means for feeding signatures lengthwise of said roller means to said rollers and thereafter beyond said rollers comprising a reciprocatory member having signature-feeding elements thereon disposed in different positions along said member and operating, respectively, to feed the signatures to and away from said roller means.

29. In a machine for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, and concave and convex guides adapted to receive the signatures between them and guide the signatures at their back and front edges, respectively, in rounded-back condition while the signatures are being sewed.

'30. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of means for sewing together signatures to form a book, means for operating on the signatures to cause them to extend in roundedback-forming condition, means for feeding the signatures in rounded-back forming condition from said second-named means, and intermittently operating means operating on the signatures after removal from said second-named means for feeding the signatures to said firstnamed means and preserving said condition while being. sewed.

PHILIP A. FRAZIER. 

